宰杀 is a compound verb meaning 'to slaughter (animals)'—typically for meat production, religious rituals, or traditional farming practices. The character 宰 originally meant 'to preside over a ritual sacrifice' and carries connotations of official or formal killing; 杀 means 'to kill' in a general sense. Together, 宰杀 emphasizes the deliberate, purposeful act of killing an animal, usually by a person with authority or responsibility (e.g., a butcher or farmer), rather than accidental or predatory killing.

This word is neutral in register but tends to appear in factual, agricultural, veterinary, or regulatory contexts—not in casual daily speech. It’s rarely used for pets or wild animals unless in formal reporting or ethical discussions. Unlike more colloquial terms like 杀 (shā) alone, 宰杀 implies preparation, procedure, and intentionality, often involving restraint, stunning, and bleeding-out methods common in humane slaughter standards.